Vir Fortis
by Museless
Summary: *AU* Chapter Seven is FINALLY up!
1. Chapter 1: Mission

Disclaimer: I don't own Square, Final Fantasy VIII, etc. I do own Phoenix Aring. Please do not take her without written permission.   
  
Author's Notes: I'm back from the dead! Yay! ^_^ Since I've had an overabundance of creative juice, I've decided to put them to work and finally start popping out some fanfiction. R&R is what keeps me going, so don't forget to click that little button at the bottom!   
  
~*~   
  
Irvine Kinneas was convinced he was going to scream if he had to stay in the Army hospital for another minute. He needed air. Air that didn't smell of blood, sliced open bowels and death.  
  
"Son of a bitch." He hissed, standing. He was sent to the 9661 M*A*S*H just outside of Dollet. Mortar shells had taken out most of his unit, leaving only he and a few comrades alive. He was thrown through the air about 35 feet, and thankfully a tree had stopped him from going any further. He had been told he was lucky, given about a dozen painkillers, and was directed to the waiting room in which he was told to sit until a doctor could further inspect his injuries when he first arrived. He had been in the waiting room for nearly six hours.   
  
He began to walk toward the door when a shrill voice sent a chill up his spine and made him stop in his tracks.   
  
"Lieutenant Kinneas, just WHERE do you think you are going?" It screamed. He shuddered, turning around to face the nurse calling him. He was expecting to see some old withered hag of a nurse hobbling over to him. Instead he was shocked by seeing a small girl, no taller than 5 foot 4, tapping her foot and holding a chart. The front of her green uniform was covered with blood, and there was the smallest speckles covering her sweat-covered face. Her black hair was pulled behind her, and her brown eyes were filled with exhaustion.   
  
"I need some fresh air. This place smells like The Island Closest to Hell." He answered. Irvine did not like being yelled at. Especially by small, cute nurses that had blood on the front of themselves.   
  
"We can look at your injuries now." She said simply.   
  
"Thanks." He mumbled, following her to a small makeshift exam room. It looked and smelled like it had been a janitor's closet. He sat on a small bench, and watched while she stripped off he green uniform and tossed it in a small basket. She was fully dressed underneath, which explained the sheen of sweat on her forehead. She slipped on a new uniform and gloves, and attached a small nametag to her chest, which read: Rinoa Caraway, Head Nurse.   
  
"Are you General Caraway's daughter?" He asked while they peeled his shirt off. He hadn't noticed that the back was sticky with blood until the sound of ripping paper filled the air. The blood had dried and acted like a type of glue against his skin.   
  
"Yes." She answered stiffly, tossing his ponytail over one broad shoulder.   
  
"I thought the good General didn't want any of his family involved in the war." He said sarcastically, watching her retrieve rubbing alcohol and a clean white cloth from a cabinet.  
  
"It's kind of hard to ignore the war when people are dying left and right." She answered smartly, not yet looking into his eyes. She stuck her head out the door, looking for someone. "Zone, tell Dr. Kramer that there's a patient in room 43E waiting for him. From the looks of it he's going to need stitches."   
  
"I need stitches?" Irvine asked, quirking his eyebrow up as she looked back to him.   
  
"You have a large piece of wood stuck in your back. Once we remove it, we're going to need to stitch it up. You should thank me that I stopped you before you left. Moving around too much could have pushed in further and required surgery to get it out." She said, circling him and cleaning off the dried blood from his back with the rubbing alcohol and cloth.   
  
"Can I thank you by taking you out to dinner?" He countered slightly.   
  
"I don't date patients, Lieutenant." Rinoa replied, seeming rather annoyed.  
  
"I never said the word date, Miss Caraway."   
  
"It's Major Caraway, and you meant date." She answered, replacing the rubbing alcohol in the cupboard. This time she removed a pair of mean looking tweezers. Once again she stuck her head out the door. "Damnit, Zone! Go get Dr. Kramer! I have to do rounds in 10 minutes, and head back into surgery! Don't make me pull rank on you, Corporal." She yelled, emphasizing the word Corporal.   
  
"Yes, ma'am! Right away, ma'am." Irvine heard the man reply. He tried not to laugh, considering that would most likely get him hurt even more instead of getting him healthy.   
  
"You seem to have a lot of power around here."   
  
"I'm Head Nurse, Lieutenant." She said briskly. Irvine tried not to smirk at the thought that her daddy's power most likely got her the position. She seemed to be a good nurse, but she didn't seem like Head Nurse material. A few moments past, and neither said a word. Just as she was about to scream at Zone again, a man in a white coat came through the door.   
  
"What's the story with this patient, Major Caraway?"   
  
"Lieutenant Irvine Kinneas is with the 43rd Firearms unit." She answered, looking down at his chart quickly.   
  
"Yikes. I heard about the mortar shells." He said. "I'm Dr. Kramer, what seems to be the trouble here, son?"  
  
"According to the good nurse here, I have a rather large piece of wood stuck in my back."   
  
"Are you in pain?"   
  
"I was given painkillers when I first checked in about six hours ago."   
  
"Are those wearing away?" The doctor asked, walking behind Irvine, and inspecting his back.   
  
"A little." Irvine answered, trying not to flinch when Dr. Kramer ran his fingers over the injury.   
  
"Once we get this bad boy out, you're not going to need stitches. Which it a good thing, considering that we're almost out of the thread to do it with. We can cast a few Curagas on you, but after that you're still going to be sent to 28th small injury hospital for a few days." Dr. Kramer stood, and took the tweezers Rinoa handed him.   
  
"May I ask why, Doc?" Irvine questioned. He just wanted to get back in the routine of things and take out a few SeeDs.   
  
"The wound area will still be tender, and if you move around to much you could very well rip the skin back open. It'll hurt a hell of a lot more than this does now."   
  
Before Irvine could reply to that, he felt the doctor digging at the piece of wood. He bit his lip to keep from screaming as he could feel the sliver being pulled out his back. Two Curagas were cast on him soon after, and he could almost hear the skin re-knitting itself back together. He looked down behind him and saw the piece of wood, about 4 inches long and 1.5 inches wide, in the grasp of the large tweezers.   
  
"That thing came out of my back?" Irvine asked, rather amazed.   
  
"Yes, it did. You had some major bruising, a few cuts, and a few other smaller slivers, but the Curagas took care of them." Rinoa explained, taking off her gloves. "Doctor, I need to do my rounds, then Dr. Smith wants me to assist him in surgery."   
  
"You're dismissed." The doctor said, waving his hand at her. "Alright, Lieutenant. I want you to say at the small injuries hospital for 3 days. No funny business either. I find out that you tried to escape; I'll throw you into another tree." The doctor joked.   
  
"Believe me, that won't be a problem." Irvine answered, looking for his shirt. "But, my shirt is ruined."   
  
"Oh, alright. Next to the entrance, there's a small room. Go inside, tell the nurse your situation, and she'll set you up. After that, there should be a bus out front that will take you to the small injuries hospital. If you miss it, don't worry about. Another shows up every hour, on the hour."   
  
"Thank you very much, doc."   
  
  
  
~*~  
  
"The SeeDs have taken Trabia, and are now forming at the Northern District of Esthar. We believe after they take Esthar, they'll take Timber, followed by Dollet and Deling." General Xu Holfmeen explained, sighing. She eyed the large glass room, and then looked to the 12 representatives that made up the Council for United Efforts. They came from all over the world, mostly western Galbadia Generals, and their mission were to stop the SeeDs before they continued on their rampage through the world. So far, they were unsuccessful. "I am here to ask the council to send assistance to Northern Esthar. If we can stop them there, we can put an end to the Balamb SeeDs. By stopping them from taking our last strongest ally, we can save thousands of people's lives."   
  
"That is all very good, General, but what if we fail?" General Fury Caraway asked, sitting back in his chair.   
  
"I was not finished, General. While our troops are pushing the SeeDs back, we send a group of our most qualified soldiers to Balamb and sneak them in. The leader of the SeeDs will be so upset that we have sent soldiers to fight his forces back, they won't even notice a slight security breech." Xu answered, walking toward the large glass table in which the members of council sat around. "Off the record, and from General to General, you all know that this is the only way we are going to win this war. You can protest and refuse this all you want, but this many be our final chance, ladies and gentlemen." She took a step back, and sighed. "If we don't win this battle, we're all as good as dead. We're as dead as we would be if we choose not to. In all honestly, our chances of winning are very very slim. I don't know about you all, but I would like to think that we all went out with a bang if we have to die."   
  
"I agree with you General Holfmeen." General Phoenix Aring cut in. She was the representative from the area formally known as Winhill, and possibly the only General in the room that still went out and fought. "If we must die, I want to be remembered as a solider, not someone who sat back and allowed thousands to be slaughtered."   
  
"Despite the fact that this is incredibly insane and will lead us all to our deaths," Another General from Timber said, rubbing his chin. "I do support what General Holfmeen has proposed."   
  
"Is there any who disagree?" Phoenix asked, raising her head and tossing his waist length red hair over her shoulder. No one spoke, but few nodded their heads, showing they agree.   
  
"Then it is decided." General Caraway spoke softly. "I'm placing General Aring in charge of the invasion mission. You will lead our finest soldiers into the SeeD's Garden. General Holfmeen is at your disposal for now, though we will need her before we begin the counterattack. We will remain here and contact the President of Esthar to discuss battle plans. Once you have rallied your team, General Aring, report back to us to receive further instructions. You have forty-eight hours to locate your team." He paused and sighed a moment. "Everyone is dismissed, but I must speak to General Aring alone."  
  
The two generals watched as their colleagues file out, including Xu. Phoenix sighed, rubbing her forehead. She was a rather beautiful woman, and her face reflected that of her age. She was barely 25, but had served more than 13 years for the Republic of Galbadia Army. She stood 5'10", and had as many muscles as any other general. Phoenix was born in the middle of a battlefield, and she pledged to herself she would die on one. Her voice was rich with a Winhill accent, and had a tendency to pick incorrect words due to the fact that Galbadian was not her first language. She stood, and faced General Caraway. He shook his head, let out possibly the heaviest sigh he ever had.   
  
"What have I done, putting you in the middle of this?" He asked softly.   
  
"Nothing. You know that if you did not put me in charge, I would have killed you." She answered simply, walking toward him and leaning back on the glass table. She looked to her left, staring out the window. A small sparrow was sitting on a branch of a bush, watching the two people with great interest.   
  
"I wanted to protect my daughter from this war, and she joins up with the army. I want to keep you safe, yet I put you in charge of a death mission." He mumbled.   
  
"You can't hide the world from us, Fury, especially your daughter. She is as strong as you." She answered, taking one of his hands.  
  
"I want to keep her safe. I don't want her to die in my lifetime. And she hates me because of it."   
  
"She does not hate you, Fury! She loves you, but she does not understand why you won't let her explore herself!" Phoenix sighed, rubbing her cheek against his hand. "This is the final battle, you do realize this, correct? Afterward Rinoa and I will both be safe."   
  
"No, we're all going to die in the process."   
  
"No. Our troops may fall, and we may loose the field war, but I promise on my father's grave that I will not allow the SeeD's leader to continue with his life. I have not failed a mission yet, and I will not fail this one. I refuse to allow the Galbadian people to face more torment." She proclaimed, kissing the back of his hand. If the situation had been different, the General would have laughed at her passion and word choice.  
  
"You're possibly the most optimistic General I have ever met." He stood and pulled her into an embrace. She buried her head under his chin, enjoying the scent of his freshly pressed uniform. "Promise me you'll come back." He whispered softly, kissing the top of her head.   
  
"I will do my best." She answered, looking up at him and kissing the corner of his mouth.  
  
~*~   
  
Irvine groaned, pulling himself out of the hospital bed. He couldn't stay in bed for the next three days and do nothing. It would drive him nuts. The nurse that showed him his temporary room told him about a patient lobby where most of the patients gathered. He walked down the hall, finding the lobby rather easily. The small injuries hospital was not very large, with only about 25 total rooms.   
  
The lobby was small, decorated with two couches, a chair, and a mixed array of paintings and plants. There were only two patients scattered on the furniture, and were chatting happily.   
  
"Hey, mind if I sit?" Irvine asked, coming up behind one of the couches. The man sitting on it turned and looked at him. His forehead, left eye, and lower cheek was wrapped in a clean white bandage. Small tuffs of bright blonde hair stuck out from under the bandage. His eyes were a brilliant green and he had an arrogant smile.   
  
"No, you can't." He answered, a smirk blessing his lips. "Go away."   
  
"Ignore him. He's a pompous ass." Another man said. He was shirtless with a black back brace encasing his body. "Go ahead a sit." Irvine smiled, sitting down next to the blonde.   
  
"I'm Major Seifer Almasy, 71st infantry." He said, ignoring the man in the back brace.   
  
"Lieutenant Irvine Kinneas, 43rd Firearms unit."   
  
"Shit. I heard about the mortars." Back-brace boy said.   
  
"Yeah, I was thrown through a tree."   
  
"Wow." Seifer said, pointing his thumb to Back-brace boy. "That's almost as stupid as what klutz did here."   
  
"I'm Captain Nida Sandes, 101st airborne division." He stopped and smiled stupidly. "I fell down a cliff."   
  
"How did you fall down a cliff if you're a pilot?" Irvine asked.   
  
"I'm talented." Nida answered.   
  
A high giggle behind the three men made Irvine jump. He turned, and eyed a small girl. She stood about 5'1", and her hair was a light chestnut.  
  
"You're not talented, Nida. Your graceless." She said, smiling. She walked forward, and sat down in chair.   
  
"You're such a bitch, Selphie." He retaliated.   
  
"Now, now, let's not scare away our new friend." Seifer said, smiling.   
  
"Yeah. Be nice, Nida." Selphie replied. "I'm Major Selphie Tilmit, First Division of Computer and Technological Science."   
  
"Whoa, DCTS1? What are you doing in a SI hospital?" Irvine asked. DCTS1 was the military intelligence division of the Galbadian Information and Research Center. GIRC only accepted people who were near geniuses. Just the entrance exam was enough to make the normal soldier's head spin.   
  
"I was on a hacking mission when the base we were at was bombed by the SeeDs." She explained, folding her legs under her. "I got a pretty bad concussion, but they're releasing me tomorrow. By the way, you never told me your name."   
  
"Oh!" Irvine said, smiling at her. "I'm Lieutenant Irvine Kinneas."  
  
"Irvine was with the 43rd firearms unit." Seifer mocked slightly.   
  
"Hey." Selphie suddenly grew serious. "Don't make fun of the Firearms Unit, Seifer."   
  
"Oh…I forgot, Selphie. Sorry." He answered, hanging his head.   
  
"Why are you so defensive of the Firearms unit?" Nida asked, stretching out on the couch.   
  
"My dad was in the Firearms unit eight years ago. Before I was recruited into GIRC and DCTS1, I used to go out with my dad on simple missions."   
  
"What happened?" Irvine asked.   
  
"He was the first person those damned SeeDs publicly killed on the streets of Balamb. Before that, the SeeDs worked quietly."  
  
"We only suspected them beforehand that they were killing people. He was the first real proof they were doing it." Seifer continued for her.  
  
"Fucking bastards." Selphie hissed, looking down at the rug-covered floor. "That's why I signed up for GIRC and DCTS1, so I can take down the SeeDs. I'm not that strong, but I know computers like the back of my hand."   
  
"Damn straight. I've seen you whiz through firewalls even computer nerds get migraines from." Nida replied, smirking.   
  
"Ooh, Nida. I'm so proud. You used computer lingo. Do you even know what a firewall is?" Seifer asked, quirking an eyebrow.   
  
"No, but it sounded cool!" He proclaimed, laughing.   
  
"You're such a dweeb, Nida!" Selphie giggled, turning her eyes to Irvine and giving him a sunny smile. 


	2. Chapter 2: Bedtime

Disclaimer: I own not, you sue not.   
  
~*~  
  
Rinoa sighed heavily, leaning back onto her army-issued dresser. Her hair was wrapped in a towel, her face a flushed red due to the constant scrubbing she endured to remove blood from her skin. A small smile crossed her normally stern face when she remembered the telephone call she had received earlier in the day. It had been her father's lover, Phoenix, asking her to go on a mission with her as her field nurse.   
  
She stepped forward, sitting on her bed and unwrapping her hair. She shook her head, causing all of the excess water to rain all over her small quarters. Rinoa had been ordered by her CO to 'get a good's night rest' because she was scheduled to leave at 4 AM. She was very curious as to what the mission involved, considering it was incredibly rare for members of the Council for United Efforts to be assigned field missions. She was told she would be assigned a field uniform, and Rinoa prayed it wasn't a skirt.   
  
She stretched her long legs and arms, arching her back like a big cat. She couldn't remember the last time she had had more than 3 hours of sleep, and she was looking forward to it.   
  
However, before Rinoa could go to sleep, there was one thing she had to check on. She stood from her bed and walked over to her dresser. She opened the top drawer and pulled out her sky-blue colored pinwheel. It had been a very long time since the weapon had seem the light of day, and it almost seemed to be happy back in her hands. She removed a bottle of weapon polish and went to work cleaning her tool before she fell fast asleep on her hard mattress.   
  
~*~   
  
The woman walked quietly through the moonlight-drenched halls, her uniform boots tapping across the blue marble tile. It was summer in Galbadia, and even the nights were balmy and had comfortable warmth to them. There was a small pay phone around the corner in the visitor's lounge, and she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket. She picked up the receiver with the dainty cloth and dialed after inserting her change. It took a moment before the other end stop ringing, and a familiar loud breath came from the other end of the line.  
  
"Captain Simmons reporting to Commander."   
  
"Good to hear from you Simmons. How did the intelligence meeting go?"   
  
"Very well, sir. They agreed to the mission, and placed General Phoenix Aring in charge of invasion mission. Reports say they're placing Caraway in charge of the ground troops."   
  
"Do you know who the soldiers involved in the invasion mission are?"   
  
"No. I will attempt to get close enough to her to find out, but General Aring is a very suspicious person. I highly doubt we will be able to influence her decisions. "   
  
"That's unfortunate. She would make a good ally if not for her morals. We'll have to kill her."   
  
"Do you want me to try and get close enough to do so?"   
  
"No. We're continuing with what is planned. But it is crucial that you get close enough to see her team list and make sure that our operatives are on the list. If you can't, report back immediately, because we'll have to change a few things in the our mission."   
  
"Very well, Commander."   
  
"Excellent job thus far, Captain."   
  
"Thank you. Oh, and tell Trepe-"  
  
"I know. And I will."   
  
"Thank you again, Commander."  
  
~*~   
  
The bar of the Galbadia Hotel always seemed a bit dreary compared to the rest of the world, and tonight was no exception. The red velvet drapes had been changed to deep navy blue in support of Galbadia victory. In the left hand corner a young solider was playing the piano, still dressed in his field fatigues.   
  
Phoenix descended the stairs with Fury close by her. All night she had been distracted by the mission and had been locked in her office until Fury all but tore the door down. He told her he wanted a single night where they could forget about the war. After reading between the line, Phoenix came to the conclusion that Fury was feeling a bit frisky. How charming.   
  
The two took a table toward the back of the bar, a small smile spreading over Phoenix's face as she watched two men at the bar. They were both laughing at one another, casually touching. One was wearing field fatigues, the same as the soldier at the piano. The other man was smiling like a love struck teen, which he most likely was, considering that he had the other man's dog tags hanging around his neck. He started to talk about something, leaning closer to the other man. The soldier just smiled, and kissed his lover's palm.   
  
"See that?" Phoenix asked, nodding toward the couple as they sat. "That's what I'm fighting for." Fury quirked his eyebrow up, smiling slightly.   
  
"So you can sit in a dark bar and spy on people? Sounds rather creepy."   
  
"You know what I mean." She answered, smiling warmly.   
  
"Yes, but I told you. I want to get away from the war."   
  
"Then you're going to hate me for what I'm about to tell you." She said after a moment.   
  
"I could never hate you." He replied.   
  
"I've decided to take Rinoa on the invasion mission with me as my field nurse." Phoenix revealed, leaning forward.   
  
"No."   
  
"The last time I checked, Fury, I was in charge of the invasion mission and I was the one to choose who is qualified." She retorted smartly.   
  
"But she's my daughter, Phoenix." He said in an annoyed tone.  
  
"She's also a soldier, Fury." She answered in the same voice. She frowned at him, leaning back in the chair. "Do you not trust me that I will keep her out of harm's way?"   
  
Fury sat back, running a gloved hand though his salt-and-pepper hair. He sighed, his blue eyes never leaving Phoenix's pale face. She was still in her formal uniform, the three silver General stars gleaming on her collar. Her red hair was pulled from her face in a half-pony, held back with an intricate silver clip.   
  
"Rinoa is a walking terrorist target, Phoenix. She is my daughter. My enemies tend to take advantage of that. She was kidnapped once before and-"  
  
"And," She interrupted, crossing her arms. "She's alive today because she is a warrior like her father. She escaped from her captors because she is your daughter."   
  
"Phoenix…please," He said, rubbing his temples. "I don't want to argue."   
  
"Fine. It's settled. I'm taking her." Phoenix said, motioning for the waiter to come over to them.   
  
"We'll discuss this later." He whispered as the waiter neared.   
  
"How does champagne sound?" She asked harshly, ignoring his last comment.   
  
"Sounds lovely." Fury answered, smiling warmly. The waiter nodded, and disappeared.   
  
"I don't see how you can do that." Phoenix said, staring at him.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Just suddenly pretend that you're okay."   
  
"Oh, gee, Phoenix. You just told me that you want to take my daughter onto a mission where she'll be at risk, and now you want to talk about it?"   
  
"No, Fury I-"   
  
"You want to know how it makes me feel, Phoenix? Hmm? Want to put your nice little psychology degree to work?" He asked sarcastically. He could see that he had made a mistake. She did not take well to sarcasm when it was directed at her.   
  
"Fuck you." She answered, getting up. "I know you're pissed off about Rinoa, but she's a soldier, Fury, whether you like or not. I know she's a fucking terrorist target. She knows she's one! So do you want to know how she dealt with that? She signed up for the army so she could protect herself and the people that mean something to her. Unfortunately, since her father is a General, he redirected her and made her become a nurse." Phoenix looked down at Fury, her fists clutched at her sides. "She is willing to give her life to the effort, Fury. I know you see her as this pure little girl…but she's grown up. And you should be proud of what she's become, because she's not going to change. Not for you, and not for anybody."   
  
"Phoenix…" He started, looking down at the table for a moment. "Damn it, you're taking her with you either way, aren't you?"   
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"You better keep her safe. If she dies, I'll…"   
  
"If she dies Fury, then it means the mission has failed. And you know I don't fail." She said, touching to soft tablecloth with her fingers.   
  
"You're so arrogant."   
  
"No, I'm not. I'm truthful, there's a difference." Phoenix answered, a small smirk tugging at her lips.   
  
~*~  
  
Irvine yawned, climbing out of his bed. Although he was very tired, he was too uncomfortable. He decided to head back to the patient lobby, in hopes that someone else would be there, doubting it because it was nearly 11: 30. Irvine was very pleased to see Seifer sitting on the couch that he was earlier.   
  
"Hey, couldn't sleep?" Irvine asked, sitting on the other end of the couch. It took a moment for him to reply. He was resting his head in his hand, eye closed. In his other hand was a glass of what looked to be an elixir mixed with scotch. He took a sip of it, and looked to the other man.   
  
"Nah. I couldn't sleep."   
  
"What's up?" Irvine questioned. "You seem…"   
  
"Upset?" Seifer finished, letting out a short, bitter laugh. "I am."   
  
"Why?"   
  
"I'm here because I led my platoon into SeeD territory in northern Trabia. We were trying to liberate the Shumi Village, because HQ said they would be a good ally if we want Trabia back. Well, obviously we failed, and almost all of my soldiers were killed. In two days I have to go back into the field and take the soldiers that survived into another mission in Centra." He paused a moment, and took a sip of his concoction. "I'm sick of this fucking war. It's pointless."   
  
"It's not pointless." Irvine answered. "And you should be ashamed for saying so. People's lives are depending on us."   
  
"But we're going to loose anyway. Our troops are nothing compared to the SeeD force."   
  
"So what if we win or loose? The point is that we fought back, and we didn't just roll over and let the SeeDs kill our people. We give the people hope, Seifer. And hope is more precious than anything in this day and age." Irvine said, getting frustrated.   
  
"You're very passionate about this." Seifer replied, sitting up straight.   
  
"I know I am."   
  
"Why?" He asked.   
  
"I was born in a tiny little village in south west Galbadia. When I was 10 or so, the SeeDs invaded, and killed my entire family. I lived because I was the fastest, and I hid in crawlspace under my living room floor before they raided our house. I watched through the floorboards as they shot my mother, but not before they raped her. I was only 10 years old, and I watched my mother being put through the most painful thing of her life, and I could do nothing. Galbadia forces found me a few hours later. The leader of the platoon told me that I needed to use all the anger and sadness toward freeing the people of the world, because it was misplaced anger that was killing everyone. He gave me hope, and I learned that hope, real true hope, is very rare."   
  
Both men were silent, refusing to look at one another. It was rather embarrassing for Irvine to tell his story, as very few people knew it.   
  
"Someone very important to me was taken by the SeeDs several years ago. I tried everything to get her back before I realized the only way to ever see her again was to fight the SeeDs. To me, every one of those sons of bitches I kill, I get one more step closer to her. But now…I'm questioning it. I don't know if I'll ever see her again." Seifer spoke softly, his gaze never leaving his glass.   
  
"Then you have more reason than any to fight." Irvine answered. "If she were here, would she be in the army?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Then fight in her place. Instead of fighting to see her, fight for her."   
  
"You're not making much sense." Seifer replied, tearing his eye from the liquid in his hand.   
  
"I know. But just think about it." Irvine smiled, standing up. "I'm going to try and get some sleep. Goodnight, Seifer."   
  
"Goodnight." He answered softly.   
  
~*~  
  
Fury smiled softly, looking around his living room. The carpets were a deep, blood-like shade of crimson and the walls a unique tone of tan. Various ivy plants were strewn around the room, some entwining with the legs and arms of his furniture. One whole wall was nothing but glass, looking over his extensive backyard, complete with in ground pool and garden.   
  
Phoenix had fallen asleep on the couch, her body spread fluidly over it. The moonlight streamed into the window and flooded the floor like spilt milk. The lights were off in the room, and Fury sat in a chair next to the couch. He studied his backyard, sipping his sherry once in a while.   
  
Fury considered himself a poor father. He had done the best he could with his only child, but it didn't seem to be good enough. Since Rinoa's mother had died when she was only 5, it was up to Fury to raise this girl without even a hint on how to do it. Naturally, Fury wasn't as home as much as he liked, often being assigned missions and investigations. There were times when just coming home to see his daughters smiling, sunny face was what got him through the day. But, that soon changed as well. Rinoa became withdrawn from him around age 10, often flat out ignoring him when he tried to reach out to her. He couldn't blame her exactly, since he had been away most of the time, and missed more than one school play, piano and ballet recital. Rinoa turned to the staff, mainly the maids and her nanny, to explain her homework or show up at her parent/teacher conferences. It was almost as if every woman in the house was a bit of a substitute mother, but Rinoa never got too close.   
  
But that had all changed when Rinoa was 12. That was when Fury had met Phoenix when she was still just a Colonel. Phoenix was often leered at because many people thought she arose to her position because she was dating Fury. The truth was that she had led the only victorious attack against the SeeDs, which sent her shooting up levels and straight to a 3-star General.   
  
Of course, Fury had heard of her before. Many people called her the 'child warrior' because she had signed up for the army so young. Her father was Colonel Wilhelm Aring, and he himself had been a legend amongst Galbadian soldiers. When the SeeDs had first started forming 12 years ago, they weren't known as SeeDs. They were just plan old terrorists who didn't like Galbadia. They destroyed Winhill completely, burning down every last house and flower field. However, Colonel Aring had held onto Winhill for two weeks straight before the SeeDs won and killed him. Rumors had it that Wilhelm had actually had his young daughter to help him fight them back.   
  
Rinoa hadn't exactly been thrilled when Fury introduced Phoenix. She screamed and cried that Phoenix was trying to take the place of her mother after she asked if Rinoa needed any help with homework after dinner. This was incredibly confusing for the General, because his wife had never helped Rinoa with her homework. The two butted heads often, and it had taken Phoenix every bit of will power to remain calm with the child. But after one horrible night in particular, where Rinoa had actually attempted to hit her, her willpower diminished. Phoenix opened the gates of hell on the child. She never raised her voice, but in a dark, deep tone, she set Rinoa straight. She did not have to like Phoenix, but she did have to show the same respect she showed her. At the time, Rinoa was 14.   
  
The next week the two of them were out shopping on the mall strip. His daughter took to her like a fish in water, mainly because Phoenix treated her like an adult, not the skinny 14-year-old piano playing, ballet dancer that everyone saw. She asked Phoenix the questions she was too nervous to ask anyone else, mainly about boys and periods. Eventually, Rinoa warmed up to Fury, and started calling him Father instead of by his given name.   
  
Rinoa graduated from high school early because she was taking summer classes when school was out. It was then that Rinoa was kidnapped by some rouge SeeDs in Timber on a trip to buy her a puppy. However, Rinoa had escaped a few days later before authorities even had a chance to intervene. A year later, Rinoa sighed up for the army as a way to protect herself. Phoenix supported her to her full extent. Fury, completely dismayed with what she had done, pulled a few strings and had her assigned to nursing instead of firearms. Three years later, she became a head nurse because of her exceptional work with the doctors in surgery. But it still took a long time for Phoenix or Rinoa to speak to Fury again. He now rarely saw his daughter, and it was even rarer that the two had a real conversation.   
  
Fury sipped his sherry, looking over to Phoenix. Her full lips were parted slightly, and her arm was draped over her stomach. He smiled, downing the last of his drink, and stood. He didn't want to wake her, but he didn't want her get a crank in her neck.   
  
"Phoenix." He said softly. "Time to go to bed."   
  
"No. Go away." She murmured, rolling over. With a small chuckle, Fury lifted her from the couch. It was a difficult task, despite that he was 4 inches taller than her and outweighed her by at least 80 pounds. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and huddled closer to the warm mass that held her. He smiled slightly, and carried her up to his room. 


	3. Chapter 3: FORE!

President Laguna Loire smirked, gripping the shaft before him. The mid-morning sun poured over his shoulders, contrasting deeply with the warm emerald of his eyes. His pale skin was pulled over his high cheekbones, despite his age. The black shaft felt good in his hands, very warm; yet…very soft and smooth…and hard. It was slightly small in his large hands, but he didn't really mind. He was going to have to thank Kiros for picking this one out. He adjusted it slightly before licking his lips.   
  
"FORE!" He called out, swinging the golf club and sending the little white ball sailing off the roof of the Presidential Palace.   
  
"Great shot, Mr. President." One of his aides said, retrieving another ball from his golf bag.   
  
"Thank you, Rich. I try." He answered stupidly, taking the ball and placing it between his legs on the ground.   
  
"Is this wise, Laguna?" Ward asked, shaking his head.   
  
"Of course it is!" Laguna replied, not noticing the paramedics gathering to assist a man his first ball hit.   
  
As he was preparing to swing the ball, Kiros popped up from the latch leading to the roof. Just as his head emerged, another small, white ball sailed by. He ducked just in time for it to miss him and continue it's traveling, finally going through a window across the street and bouncing off the shiny forehead of the Centra Foreign Minster.   
  
"Laguna, the paramedics, firemen, and polices of Esthar all chipped in to building you a golf course in the basement! Now use it!" He growled, pulling himself up out of the latch.   
  
"Sorry, Kiros." Laguna mumbled like a 5 year old.   
  
"Apology accepted. Now, march yourself downstairs. You have a phone call from General Caraway."   
  
Laguna expression lighted suddenly, and his face was once again graced with a wide smile. "What did he want? Are we going to finish our game of Risk?"  
  
"I don't know, why don't you go and ask?" Kiros suggested.   
  
"Stop talking to me like a child." He answered snidely, walking over to the latch and climbing down.   
  
A moment later he was in his office, his shoes making a small flip-flop noise as he walked across the floor.  
  
"Heeeello." He said, picking up the phone.   
  
"Good morning, Mr. President. I didn't wake you, did I?" General Caraway's cheery voice came over the other line.   
  
"No, not at all. You forget that it's 9 AM here, General. We're 4 hours ahead of you."   
  
"Ah, thank you, Mr. President. I forgot entirely." He laughed slightly, and then cleared his throat.   
  
"What can I do you for, General? Finally up to finishing our game of world domination?"  
  
"Not exactly. I'm calling about the real life game."  
  
"Oh, so you dingbats in Galbadia finally have a plan?" Laguna mocked, the humor dripping from his voice.  
  
"Yes, we do. As of yesterday afternoon, large armies of the SeeD's have been gathering at Esthar's northern border."  
  
"We've been aware of this General."   
  
"Yes, well we've finally decided to finally retaliate. I want to combine our armies, and launch a full attack. Also, we are forming a team to infiltrate the SeeD Garden, and take out the SeeD's leader."  
  
"Sounds great. I'm going to assume that you will be coming to Esthar."   
  
"I was just going to ask you that, Mr. President."   
  
"When will you be arriving?"  
  
"Is tomorrow morning cutting it too close?"   
  
"Not at all. I'll have a room ready for you. Will you be bringing the lovely General Aring?" He asked. Fury could hear his smile through the receiver. Laguna always had a thing for his lover, although it never went anywhere other than harmless flirting.   
  
"No…" The general answered.   
  
"Oh? Are the two of you still…?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. President."  
  
"Then why is she not coming?"  
  
"I was a fool and put her in charge of the invasion mission." Fury explained.   
  
"Oh, so is she planning it and all?"  
  
"No, she going on the mission."   
  
"Good. It's about time you gave that girl a mission."   
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"She's a very skilled warrior. You would be stupid if you didn't use her."  
  
"I know." Fury answered, suddenly sounding exhausted.   
  
A small beeping sound interrupted the two, signaling that Laguna had another call. He sighed, looking down at the small call-waiting screen. It was the paramedics. Why in the world would they be calling me? He thought.   
  
"I'm sorry, General, but I have another call."  
  
"It's alright, Mr. President. I was due at the Council for United Efforts fifteen minutes ago. Goodbye."   
  
"Goodbye." He answered, pushing the button for the lines to switch. "Hello?"  
  
"Mr. President, this is Donald Yers from the 21st Emergency Rescue Station. We need to have a little talk…"  
  
~*~  
  
Seifer groaned, adjusting himself so the spring of the chair wasn't stabbing him in the back. It was 5 AM. Still dark. And in his book, still night. Nida, Irvine, Selphie and himself all were on their way to Deling City for a briefing. Despite the fact that they were all injured in someway. Nida could barely walk. However, the sergeant that had called them at three AM had been insistent that they come to Deling City for a mission. The nurses at the SI hospital weren't going to let their patients go until the sergeant uttered the words "General" and "Full-Cure". The next thing they knew, the four of them were roused from their beds and herded onto a train.   
  
They were currently sitting in the Officer's Car, complete with a small bar, two chairs, and a couch.   
  
Nida had laid himself on the couch, his face twisting in pain occasionally because of the bumps and quick turns the train often endured that would send him banging against something. Selphie was sitting on the floor, her legs tucked under her. She mumbled curses and other things, rubbing her eyes. Irvine was sitting in the other chair; one leg flung over one of the arms, and his head resting against the back. He was asleep, his ponytail trailing down his right shoulder. He wore an old army-issue tan shirt with black uniform pants.   
  
They had all agreed that one good thing about having to go to Deling City was they could change out of their issued clothing. Deling City was not only the country's capital, but it was also the home of just about every military base. Selphie and Nida both lived in the same apartment complex, and Seifer and Irvine lived on the Alenstato Military Base. They had received permission to visit their homes and freshen up before their briefing, which they were all very grateful for.   
  
The train's brakes were applied suddenly, throwing Nida against the back of the hard couch. He yelped in pain, trying to lift himself up with his arms. Seifer and Selphie raced to help him. He grumbled something, and sat up.   
  
"Could one of you help me tighten my brace?" He asked, fidgeting with the clasps on it.   
  
"Yeah, sure." Selphie said, unclasping one of them and tightening it. Irvine was awake now stretching out like a big tabby cat.   
  
"Are we there?" He asked sleepily.   
  
"I think so." Seifer answered, standing from his spot near Nida and Selphie. Irvine stood as well, almost the same height as him.   
  
Irvine smiled at him, a lazy, kind smile that made Seifer smirk. His deep amber eyes were dancing as they always were, hiding something behind sincerity and kindness. Seifer wondered what the hell he was doing in the army. After the talk the two of them had last night, Irvine proved himself to be both naïve and wise. And before last night, Seifer didn't think it was possibly to be both.   
  
"We have arrived at our final destination, Deling City. Please be sure to take all of you personal belongs with you, and thank you for traveling Galbadia Continental." A recorded voice played out over the speakers.   
  
"Alright. We've got an hour to kill." Irvine said, smiling. "Wanna share a cab to the base?"   
  
"Sure." Seifer answered. "Are you gonna need a wheel chair, Nida?" He asked, turning his attention to Selphie and Nida.   
  
"I can help him. The apartments aren't that far." Selphie offered, helping him stand.   
  
"Alright. See you guys at the United Efforts building. Do you know how to get there?"   
  
"We'll just take a cab." Nida answered, smiling.   
  
"Bye, guys." Irvine said, leaving the car and Seifer in tow behind him.   
  
"Well, are you ready to head home, Nida?" Selphie asked, helping Nida walk from the car.   
  
"Yes, and then maybe I can finally put on a shirt." He answered.   
  
~*~  
  
Phoenix stretched, arching her back and extending her legs as far as they would go. Silk sheets wrapped themselves around her long legs, and she smiled. However, it only took her a moment to remember she didn't own silk sheets. Her eyes burst open, and she was greeted by the warm sunlight that drifted through the window. Then it hit her: She was in Fury's bed.   
  
She rolled to her left, looking to the spot where Fury should have been lying. However, the place next to her was empty. She sat up slightly, looking around the room. There was a note tucked under the alarm clock, and when she noticed she had slept in an hour, she quickly snatched it and opened it up.   
  
Phoenix,   
  
Don't worry. I turned off the alarm, and I'm taking care of your team. I plan on showing them the very tedious tour to the CFUE Building. Take your time. You need your rest.   
  
Love Always,  
  
Fury   
  
She smiled, setting the note off to the side. She stretched again, pulling the down comforter, velvet blankets and silk sheets off of her body. She was still clad in her General uniform, meaning that Fury had been a complete gentleman while she slept. Not that she was worried that he wouldn't be one.   
  
She stumbled over to Fury's old oak armoire, opening to the doors. She fingered through the neatly pressed clothing searching for her own garments. She had told her future team that it would be a casual briefing, meaning that yesterday she didn't feel like dressing up. She found a pair of old tan chinos, and a black button-up V t-shirt. She headed toward the bathroom, and proceeded to take the hottest, laziest shower she ever had. Afterward she blew-dry her hair, dressed, and slipped on a pair of old tennis shoes. By the time she had grabbed her gray corduroy jacket and was out the door, it was almost a quarter to eight. She hoped that Fury wasn't too upset.   
  
~*~  
  
Ashlin Herksken sighed, sitting down in one of the nifty black swiveling chairs that sat around the large glass table. He stretched out and watched as the other filed in. They had just returned from General Caraway's super fun tour of the CFUE building. Before they had started the tour, the General had healed the four injured people. Although the one named Selphie had insisted that she was healed, she received a full-cure anyway.   
  
He smiled at the girl named Rinoa, the General's daughter. She smiled slightly back at him, sitting on the other side of the table. He stood out amongst the group, mainly because of his chocolate skin and matching eyes. He was almost as tall as the cowboy, Irvine, but was twice as agile and sleek. He screamed what he was: a spy. His movements were full of cat-like grace. It was a natural talent, something that couldn't be taught.   
  
"I have a question, General. How long will we be waiting for General Aring?" Seifer asked, taking a seat next to him.   
  
"Not too long, I assure you." He answered, clearing his throat. "Let's move on to GF assignments."   
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! GF Assignments? Aren't those the things that erase your memories and stuff?" Irvine broke in, shaking his hands in front of his face as if to emphasize his protests.   
  
"Not as much as you would think." A strange voice interrupted. At the doorway stood General Aring, her long auburn hair billowing around her as she walked.   
  
"Good Morning, General Aring. How are you?" Fury said, smiling like a Cheshire cat.   
  
"Wonderful, General Caraway." She answered, walking toward the table. The two had decided long ago to keep their relationship under wraps. It would be considered inappropriate by the Council and one of them would loose their job. Although this was unfair, they complied, not wishing to be booted off the Council. They were planning to go public after the invasion mission, success or not.   
  
She sat down at the head chair after shaking Fury's hand. She casually slipped him a note as she did, both of their smiles widening. It was practically a custom of theirs to do such things.   
  
"I best be going. Good day." Fury said, walking toward the door.   
  
"Father?" Rinoa called out. He turned to look at her briefly.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Are we still going to lunch?"   
  
"Yes, meet me in my office and we'll decide where to go."   
  
"I don't know where your office is…"   
  
"I can show you." Phoenix offered.   
  
"Thanks." She replied, returning a smile.   
  
"Alright. Now onto GF assignments. It has already been brought up that-" Phoenix's voice got smaller and smaller until Fury closed the door. He looked down at the note in his hand, carefully unfolding it. On the paper, a little chibi-looking Phoenix was lying in a bed. Next to it, Phoenix's messy writing spelled out thanks. He smiled, placing it into his pocket.   
  
~*~  
  
The girl approached the office door, looking up and down the hallway. She walked like startled cat, her dark eyes resembling iridescent orbs. Her clothes hung loosely from her shoulders and waist, making her look as skinny as she was. Finally, she turned the doorknob with her delicate hand, and entered the well-lit office.   
  
Behind the desk sat her captain, looking rather sick. Her face was pale with light green undertones. Her eyes were sunken, and her hand shook as she sat her pen down. Her smile was weak, and her forehead was highlighted with a slick sheen of sweat.   
  
"Are you ill, Captian?" The girl asked, frowning.   
  
"I'm out of medication."   
  
"Will base ship you more?"   
  
"By the time it arrives I'll be in Esthar. But I'll be at base soon. I'll have Kadowaki shoot me up with something."   
  
There was silence between the two. The girl stepped forward, sitting in one of her Captains chairs before the desk. She crossed her legs, chewing on her lip.   
  
"There's more than meets the eye with General Aring." She said.   
  
"I know."   
  
"Is she going to be disposed of?"   
  
"Oh the mission, yes."   
  
"Good." The other girl answered smugly. "Do you think that our Commander and Mistress will want her?"   
  
"No. They both enjoy weak people. Mistress says it's too much work trying to destroy the strong. It's such a waste as well."   
  
"If they enjoy the weak, then why did they take Trepe?"   
  
"You know why. Don't you ever speak of her again." Her captain hissed, standing from her chair.   
  
"Sit down, Captain. You're ill, and I was merely asking a question." She turned and looked at the wall clock, chewing her bottom lip. "I have to go."  
  
"Very well. Take care."   
  
"Drink a lot of water, Captain. We don't need you passing out before you arrive at base." 


	4. Chapter 4: Recollections

Yay! New Chapter! This would have been posted earlier, but my boyfriend made the mistake of renting video games and leaving them with me. Evidently being a ninja with nifty stealth attacks is addicting.   
  
A big thanks goes out to Anime-Diva and xxAngelHeartxx for being my first reviewers! This chapter is for you!   
  
As always, I don't own FFVIII, the characters, etc, etc. I do own Ashlin and Phoenix. But don't use them without permission. I crave reviews; so if you read this fic, please leave a little note for me!   
  
^signifies thought^  
  
//signifies flashback//  
  
~*~  
  
Selphie concentrated, squeezing her eyes shut. She was alone in a field outside of Deling City, trying her best to summon a GF. The only thing she could see for miles was rolling green plains and the ocean in the distance. The sky was free of clouds, and the brightest blue she had ever seen it. It was a very serene atmosphere, and under different circumstances Selphie would have loved to lie in the grass and play with the butterflies floating by.   
  
She felt a headache coming on, and all but screamed in frustration. She was the only person on the squad other than Irvine that had never used a Guardian Force at one time or another. A sudden pain swelled in her mind, and she groaned. Just as she was about to give up, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She gasped, looking to see who touched her.   
  
Ashlin, the spy at the briefing, stood behind her. He smiled slightly and took a step forward.   
  
"Don't strain yourself. Relax, breathe in a few times." He instructed. Selphie stared at him as if he had grown three heads, blinking her wide, green eyes at the handsome man next to her. "Go on. Try it again. Just listen to my voice."   
  
"A-a-alright." She stammered, finding it hard to comprehend anything because of the commotion occurring inside her mind. She turned away from him, her eyes landing on the blue sea before her.   
  
"Take some deep breaths. Really deep so you clear all the stale air out from the bottom of your lungs." She did as he instructed, despite the pain in her head. "Good. Now quiet your mind. Allow the Guardian Forces to find a comfortable spot. You're worried too much, and your worry is forcing your GFs from your head, that's why it hurts. Close your eyes, just keep breathing, and open your mind."  
  
Selphie was having a hard time doing what Ashlin was telling her to do, but she kept trying. Slowly the pain was alleviated, and she could function again. Her body suddenly felt warm, light and comfortable. The chaos in her head came to peace, and she sighed happily.   
  
"It doesn't hurt anymore." She murmured, almost forgetting the man beside her.   
  
"Wonderful. Now, focus on bringing one of your GFs forth. Move your body if you have to. Whatever you have to do to summon it, do it."   
  
Selphie sighed, taking a step forward. She always pulled her weapon out when she cast a spell; why wouldn't it work for GFs? The ground suddenly rumbled, a red demon-like figure emerging before her. Ifrit stared back at her, awaiting a command. His large, red body loomed over her, his usual snarl absence from his face.   
  
"I did it..." She whispered, amazed at the large creature looking down at her."I DID IT!"   
  
"Now call him back to your mind." Ashlin commanded, smiling at the girl's enthusiasm. Selphie closed her eyes again, silently asking Ifrit to return to her. He faded slowly, her body becoming engulfed in a red light. "Fantastic. You're a natural."   
  
"Thanks a bunch, Ashlin! I probably would have fried by brain if you hadn't showed up!"   
  
"Don't mention a thing. I was just helping out a team mate." He answered, smiling at the sunny girl.   
  
"Hey...are you doing anything later? Nida, Rinoa and I are all getting together at my place to watch some movies. Maybe you'd like to join us?" She asked, playing with a loose end of her hair.   
  
"Sure, sounds like fun." He answered. "Where do you live?"   
  
"You're a spy." Selphie giggled, walking past him. "I'm sure you can figure it out by yourself."   
  
Ashlin smiled, and shook his head. Maybe this mission wasn't going to suck as much as he thought it would.   
  
~*~   
  
Phoenix stretched, yawning as she did. She had somehow made her way to her apartment, her eyes traveling around her home. There wasn't a single light on in the place, and her shades were drawn. Despite the fact that it was early afternoon, her apartment was as dark as it was at dusk. She walked forward, shedding her coat and tennis shoes as she plopped herself down on her sofa.   
  
She felt out of place in her apartment. It was rare that she even had time to have the opportunity come home, and usually she found herself at Fury's mansion. It had been nearly a month since she had been back to her abode. She had a sudden urge to crawl under her blankets in her bed, in-between the sheets imported from Winhill. The area was rather depressing; most of the people left for Deling City. Those that stayed behind lived in charred houses, not having enough money to rebuild. They were too busy weaving precious silks and wools to export to grow the famous flower fields that once dominated the countryside.   
  
Phoenix's tummy growled soon after, making her wonder if there was anything left in the kitchen that was edible after a month. She managed to pull herself from her sofa, her body leaving an imprint on the down feather furniture. She opened her refrigerator, poking through the various items: a box of baking soda, left over lasagna, a few soggy looking apples, and finally a pitcher of juice. She closed the door, shuddering at the thought of leaving the fruit. But there was no way she was going to touch it. ^"I bet I can pay off the little boy across the hall to clean this place..."^ She thought to herself, returning to the living room. She crashed down onto the couch. A spring suddenly stabbed at her arm, causing her to grow in pain. "...I'm going to Fury's. At least the furniture doesn't try to eat me." She grumbled out loud, swiping up her coat and shoes before heading for the door.   
  
Moments later she was out in the sunny street, various people walking near and around her. Small shops along the street were open, awning and signs sticking out from the side of the building. She thought the entire area was absolutely adorable, and felt right at home. Phoenix took up residence on the north side of the city, which was a plethora of immigrants. It was the only place on earth that she could buy Trabian fruits and Centran herbs right next to each other.   
  
Languages flowed around her, and she even heard a bit of ancient Galbadian. She turned her head to see a small group of Vascaroon monks that were trying to purchase candles, but they didn't understand what the Estharian shop owner was saying. They had solved the problem by resulting to the ancient technique: drawing pictures.   
  
She continued along her way, thoroughly enjoying her stroll through her neighborhood. However, it was short lived when she walked by Rosa's, a Balamblese restaurant, and spied Rinoa sitting at a table alone. Phoenix quirked an eyebrow, and entered the restaurant. She walked past the host, and took a seat across from her.   
  
"Hey there! I saw you from outside. Don't look so down or your face will freeze that way." She said, smiling warmly.   
  
"...Fury never showed up. I've been sitting here for forty-five minutes." Rinoa explained, playing with the half-melted ice in her water.   
  
"I'm sorry, Rinni. I'm sure he had something he had to do."   
  
"He always has something he has to do." She answered angrily. "I'm in town until tomorrow, and he decides to blow me off. This morning was the first time I've seen him in six months. Doesn't he ever want to know how I'm doing? Or what I'm doing?"   
  
"Rinoa, he cares about you, he really does. But... you don't understand how busy he is. There are times that I don't see him for days and we work together. I don't think you realize how important your father is to this country. He's all but running it single-handedly."   
  
"So that means that he can't even pick up a telephone to wish his daughter a happy birthday?" Rinoa asked, giving the redhead across from her an evil eye.   
  
"Yes." She replied, making the other girl's face turn to surprise. Phoenix had always joined in on the Fury-bashing at times like this to make her feel better. She wasn't supposed to take his side! "I shouldn't be telling you this, but after this mission, Fury wants to take you on vacation. He told me that he's going to take you all over the world; show you the places that you always wanted to see but never could because of this stupid war. He's always working so that he can put an end to all of this. So that you can live in a world of peace."   
  
"Yeah. Right. Maybe he'll be too busy setting up a government somewhere." Rinoa answered sarcastically.   
  
"Fury loves you more than you'll ever know, Rinoa. He doesn't mean to hurt you. He just wants to make you happy." She replied, standing from the seat. She reached out to touch the other girl's shoulder, but decided not to. She left quickly there after, leaving Rinoa to stew in her own juices.   
  
~*~  
  
Seifer poked through the selves of the weapon's shop, trying to find anything new he could add onto his Hyperion. Irvine had dragged him in there just as he was about to flirt with a cute girl working at an ice cream stand. Evidently he couldn't look for ammo without someone holding his hand.   
  
"Hey, Seifer...can I borrow 900 gil?" He asked, making Seifer jump and bang his head on one of the selves.   
  
"For what?!" He hollered, rubbing the back of his head.   
  
"I wanna buy a few boxes of this nifty ammo, but I don't have enough."   
  
"No!"   
  
"C'mon, Seifer! You might regret this in the future when I'm out of ammo to blow a monster off your ass." Irvine said, crossing his arms.   
  
"Fine, but you better pay me back." Seifer growled, digging in his pocket and retrieving the coins.   
  
"You know I'm good for it." Irvine answered, paying the shopkeeper. "What do you say we head over to the bar, get a few in us, then head over to Selphie's for some movies? She's already invited Rinoa and Nida. I doubt that she'll mind if we show up."   
  
"We weren't invited. We shouldn't go." Seifer replied as they headed out into the street. There was some guy flirting with the cute ice cream girl. Damn Irvine! He turned his head and gave him an evil look, but the cowboy didn't seem to notice.   
  
"Aw, c'mon! It'll be fun!"   
  
"Why do you want to go so bad?"   
  
"Because I think Selphie is just the cutest little thing ever and I plan to put my moves on her. But I need someone else there to distract everyone else while I serenade her." Irvine replied, smiling like a Cheshire cat.   
  
"You really need to get your hormones under control."   
  
"Don't be like that Seifer. Let's just get some drinks. I'm sure you'll want to head over there once you get some liquor in your system." Irvine laughed, opening the doors to bar.   
  
The bar was run out of a basement in an old townhouse near the center of the city. It wasn't very large, but unlike most of the other bars in the area, it was well lit and clean. The place was known as a 'kick-back-and-relax' joint, and a lot of soldiers usually would find themselves there if they didn't have family to go home to. Even in the mid-afternoon, the place was filled to the brim.  
  
The bartender greeted the two of them happily when they entered. The small dance floor was filled, dominated by nurses and other female soldiers. A few men had ventured in, and were currently being groped by the sea of ladies. Others sat at the bar, sharing stories of their missions.   
  
"I love this place. I always feel right at home." Irvine said, his grin oozing into his voice.   
  
"Yeah, yeah. Go drool over some girls. I'm gonna get a drink." Seifer answered. Of course, he had every intention of drooling over and flirting with girls. He had a different approach, however: the cool guy. He flashed a smile to a cute blonde on the dance floor, and headed toward the bar.   
  
~*~   
  
He stood atop one of the hills, his eyes wandering the once flora-filled lands. He swallowed deeply, taking in the overgrown grasses in some places and the charred dirt in others. His utopia had been destroyed years ago, and a depressing, shack-ridden cluster of homes took its place. Little children didn't run down the dirt paths anymore. Mothers didn't warn them not to go near the creek for fear of them falling in. Now they all had gathered around the small stream of infected water, using it as drinking water and a bathtub.   
  
A baby was crying somewhere, it's shrill scream cutting through the air like a hot knife. It tore into his heart, making his lungs hurt. Tears threatened at his eyes, trying to suppress the memories rising into his mind.   
  
//"What are you going to call him, Raine?" The midwife asked, handing her the small bundle. Laguna's eyes widened as he looking down at the little face framed by the soft blankets. It was the most beautiful thing that he had ever laid his emerald eyes on. So teeny and helpless...so...perfect.   
  
"Squall..." His wife whispered softly, smiling.//   
  
He couldn't stop them though. The spirit of the village was clawing into his mind, making him remember all the things he didn't want to remember. Things he shoved into the back of his mind in an effort to ease his raw heart.   
  
//"Daddy, daddy! Look what me n' Sis caught down at the creek!" The small boy said, dashing into the bar. Ellone, a sly yet content smile spreading across her visage, was the next to emerge from the door.  
  
"Sis and I, Squall!" Raine corrected from somewhere behind the counter.   
  
"Wow, that sure is a big trout!" He exclaimed, crouching by his five-year-old son.   
  
"Can we have it for dinner? Please?"   
  
"We'll have to ask your mom."   
  
The sudden sound of gunshots made him turn his eyes to the windows. Raine was now next to him, and he soon stood near her.   
  
"Laguna...?"   
  
"Take them upstairs..." He whispered, looking over to his wife. "If this is what I think it is, the Colonel will need me."   
  
"...Alright...be careful." She answered in a hush voice. "Let's go clean out your fish, Squall. Come along, Ellone. You can help us upstairs." Raine led her two children upstairs. He heard the door close, and headed behind the bar for his machine gun that Colonel Aring issued him.//   
  
  
  
He fell to his knees then, the small shacks become blurry little blobs of brown; the harsh baby's scream still reverberating through his mind. He could do nothing to help these people. It was out of his power to do so. If he sent more than a few hundred gil to them, the SeeDs would find out kill the remainder of the people of Winhill.   
  
//Raine flew down, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. They kissed, pouring all of themselves, their passion and their love into it, sharing one of the most powerful moments in either of their lives.   
  
"I love you..." She whispered.//  
  
He was openly sobbing now; his memories bombarded his mind and invading every crevice of his being. He rubbed his temples, trying to focus on something else. All he succeeded on was trigger the worst memory of them all. The one that laid dormant in his subconscious while he was awake, but wrecking havoc in his dreams while he slept. It was always in the back of his mind, reminding him of the failure that he truly was.   
  
//"Laguna..." The solider said, looming over the injured man. A friend was helping him bandage his broken skin. He had never seen battle his entire life, and it scared the hell out of him. After all, he was just a simple journalist. The most violence he had ever seen was a bar fight or on the television. All he wanted to do was head back home and hold his family. He longed to sit on the couch, Raine in his arms, and watch Ellone and Squall play games on the floor. He hadn't even heard the solider until he touched him.   
  
"What?" Laguna asked, turning his eyes to the other man.   
  
"It's about your wife, Laguna. The bar was invaded and-"  
  
"Is she alright? Is Raine alright?"   
  
"...She's dead, Laguna." He stared back at him, never comprehending the words. It couldn't be true. It wasn't acceptable. The solider must be joking. He had to be.   
  
"I don't believe you."   
  
"She's gone. The SeeDs...they murdered her, Laguna."  
  
"...The children...are they alright?" His friend asked. Laguna turned and looked at him, disgust written across his face.   
  
"He's lying. Don't believe him." He urged, trying to push the words out of his head.   
  
"They took Squall and Ellone, Laguna. They're gone." //   
  
The tears came even more than, his throat raw and his lungs burned. His eyes were shut tight, fists clutching the brown grass. The small, salty raindrops fell from behind his eyelids, landing as tiny lakes in the hard dirt. He coughed a few times, trying to get enough oxygen to calm himself. He continuously swallowed in the air, trying to breathe. It seemed to be an impossible task, as if we were drowning in an ocean.   
  
A small, delicate hand reached out and caressed his back. He sat up, wiping the extra tears from his eyes so he could see who it was. The blurry silhouette of Ellone was crouching near him, framed by waist length grass in the distance. She touched his face, and moved forward a bit.   
  
"It's alright, Uncle. I'm still here." She whispered, as if she knew what was happening to him. Her voice cut through the cries of the child, and for a brief, wonderful moment, it was all he heard.   
  
"Oh Elle..." He murmured, eyes filling once more. She pulled him close, resting his forehead against her shoulder. Her small arms held his shoulder and head in an attempt to sooth her surrogate father.   
  
"I'll always be here, Uncle. I promise." 


	5. Chapter 5: Calm

Okay, here's Chapter 5! A little shorter than the others, and definitely doesn't have the same quality. Sorry! This chapter is basically a filler between chapter 4 and the plan being set into action. _ Sorrie!   
  
A big thank you to Rhi-an for the lovely review!   
  
Once again, I don't know anything except for Phoenix and Ashlin, blah blah blah, etc. Reviews are what keep me going, so plllllleeeease review. ^_^ I love them!   
  
~*~   
  
Selphie awoke in a sea of soda cans and empty bags of chips. Her little movie-viewing-get-together turned into a small party after Seifer and Irvine showed up. Both of which were asleep in front of the television. Seifer's hand would twitch every now and then, making her giggle slightly. Rinoa slept on the love seat across from her, curled up in a small ball.   
  
She rolled over on the couch, her face finding another warm body. It took a moment for it to register in her brain; she looked up and found Ashlin sound asleep. Selphie smiled, sitting up a bit. The sound of sizzling caught her attention, and she looked to see Nida at the stove.   
  
"Whatcha doin', Nida?" She asked, stretching her muscles.   
  
"I'm making breakfast for everyone. We have to be at the United Efforts Building in an hour and a half."   
  
"Oh! I didn't know it was so late!" She said, standing up. "I'm going to take a shower. Thanks for making breakfast!"   
  
"Your welcome, Selphie." He replied just as she disappeared into another room.   
  
Nida smirked, flipping over the pancakes before him. Last night was surprisingly fun. Selphie had rented two of his favorite movies, 'Waiting for the Last Sunrise' and 'Succeed Three'. 'Waiting for the Last Sunrise' was a drama about a young girl who lived in Balamb, a small town under complete SeeD control. 'Succeed Three' was a documentary on the Sul, a small group of nomadic Centran that managed to hide from the SeeDs for nearly 3 years. He was slightly surprised that Irvine and Seifer had managed to be quiet and not make fun of movie while it was playing. Of course, they tore the movie apart afterward, but Nida was too busy chatting with Rinoa and Selphie about the movies to notice.   
  
He poured more batter in the pan, and his reward was the sweet smell of fresh pancakes. He heard Selphie turn on the shower, and soon after, a loud yawning came from the living room. He looked over his shoulder to see Rinoa rotating her shoulders.   
  
"Hey Rinni."   
  
"Good morning, Nida." She replied, getting up and stretching out her legs. She joined him in the kitchen, and looked to the pancakes with interest. "Those look really good..."   
  
"Then take them. I can always make more." He answered, smiling. He opened one of Selphie's cupboards where he had discovered the plates after nearly ten minutes searching. He handled her one of the green and yellow plates, purposely touching one of her fingers. She smiled warmly at him, picking up one of the forks he had set out. Rinoa stabbed at three of the pancakes he had already finished, and coated them with peanut butter and syrup. This received a quirked eyebrow from Nida, but he said nothing. She sat at Selphie's breakfast nook, crossing her legs and turning her upper body toward him.   
  
"Rinoa...I was wondering something..." He said, flipping the pancakes again.   
  
"Hmm?" She asked, a mouthful of pancake. She was running a free hand through her hair, attempting to tame her massive mess of hair.   
  
"Wait...before I ask you this, would you like a some milk?" Nida asked, already pulling out the gallon container and a glass. She nodded, trying not to giggle. He poured it to her and set it next to her plate. Rinoa quickly drank nearly half of the glass, cleared her throat, and smiled.   
  
"As you were saying?"   
  
"I was wondering that when we got back from the mission...maybe you and I could go out...you know...see a movie, go out to dinner..." There was barely a heartbeat of silence when Nida swallowed hard, and began his ramble. "You don't have to if you don't want to, of course. Not to say that you wouldn't do something you wouldn't want to do. You do what you want. I mean, it's not like you're rude or anything. It's cute...ah...cute in a strong way, you know? I think it's really-"  
  
"I'd love to." She interrupted, smiling.   
  
~*~  
  
Phoenix brushed her hair back, securing it at the middle of her head with a hair tie. She smoothed out a winkle in her uniform, and polished one of her stars with her sleeve. She had applied a tad of makeup to her eyes and lips, pulling attention to them more than before.   
  
She looked at herself in the full-length mirror, deciding that her pulled back hair made her look too young. She allowed it to fall around her shoulders and curl under, coming to a rest just below the hem of her shirt. She adjusted her boots, rubbing a smudge out. Phoenix was a stickler when it came to uniforms, which often caused her to bark at younger soldiers or fix them right in front of their peers. Naturally, this embarrassed them, but they from then on their uniforms were always wrinkle-free.   
  
She smiled to herself when she decided that she look professional, and made her way for the front door. She had spent the night again at Fury's hoping that they could have one more night with one another. He had come home late in the evening and left early in the morning. Despite this, she smiled again at the memories of the night before.   
  
She made her way out the front door and to the cab she had called earlier before. Soon she found herself in front of the UE Building, paid the driver, and walked to the conference room she had been in two days before. The other eleven Generals were there, chatting amongst themselves. She took her seat behind the glass table, giving Fury a smile. He nodded in response, a small twinkle in his eye.   
  
Within moments, the other Generals sat at her team filed in. All were dressed in their uniforms, looking rather spiffy. Rinoa had been loaned a Major's uniform, her hair tied at the base of her neck. Phoenix stood, clearing her throat and clasping her hands behind her back. She took a deep breath before introducing her team.   
  
~*~   
  
An hour and a half later, Irvine emerged from the EU Building followed by his new friends.   
  
"What'd say we get some lunch before getting ready for the mission? I'm starving!" Selphie asked, bounding up to the front of the group.   
  
"Sounds good to me." Seifer answered, smiling.   
  
"I feel like burgers..." Irvine said, pulling on the collar of his uniform.   
  
"I know a place just down the street." Rinoa announced, pointing to their right. "They've got fantastic fries!"   
  
"Sounds good to me." Selphie agreed. A few moments later, they arrived at the small diner and entered. There were only a few other people in the restaurant, mostly teenagers skipping school. They took one of the larger corner booths, receiving a few looks from the other patrons.   
  
"Hey there, soldiers. What can I do for you?" A waitress asked, handing them a few menus.   
  
"I want a soda..." Selphie said, opening one of the menus.   
  
"Same here..." Irvine agreed, smiling.   
  
"Do you just want me to bring over a pitcher of cola?" The waitress asked, putting her hands on her hips.   
  
"Sure." Rinoa said.   
  
The waitress returned soon after, setting down six glasses and the pitcher. She took their orders, and left them alone.   
  
"What time do we have to report to the base?" Ashlin asked, taking a sip of his cola.   
  
"1345 hours." Nida replied, doing the same.   
  
"Are you guys nervous?" Selphie wondered.   
  
"...I am." Rinoa revealed, scooting closer to Nida. He instinctively put his arm around the back of the booth, giving her the opportunity to move closer.  
  
"I guess I am..." Irvine answered. "I mean...the General did say that there's a big chance we could die..."   
  
"Even if we die, we'll be doing something great." Seifer said. "We'll be giving people hope." For a brief moment, Irvine and Seifer exchanged glances.   
  
"C'mon, let's not get all depressed about this. Do you really think that General Aring will let her team die?" Nida cut in, waving his hand.   
  
"Not without a fight, she won't." Rinoa added.   
  
"So did you guys enjoy hanging out at my place last night?" Selphie asked, changing the subject.   
  
"I had a great time." Rinoa gushed.   
  
"It was pretty cool." Seifer shrugged.   
  
"Yay!" Selphie giggled. "Let's do it again when we get back from the mission!"   
  
"I'm up for it. It might be a great way to unwind after a big mission." Ashlin finally spoke up, smiling at the group around him. 


	6. Chapter 6: Up in the Sky

Here's chapter six! I think it's a lot better than the last one, and I fun writing this. Lately writing has been like a chore. But then I just look at my reviews (Thanks to steel magnolia and Lucentia!) and I don't want to disappoint those people that want to read the rest of it! ^_^   
  
~*~  
  
Selphie giggled, bounding into the awaiting airship. Nida was right behind her, in fear that she would get too excited and try to launch the ship. She stood at the front of the ship, looking out of the large front window. He slipped by her, stealthily sitting down in the pilot's seat. Selphie turned around suddenly, as if she were planning to sit in the pilot seat.   
  
"Heeey!" She cried, putting her hands on her hips. "No fair!"   
  
"Please, you flying is like a death wish." Seifer snorted, sitting down in one of the chairs.  
  
"Nice little ship they gave us." Irvine commented, soon followed by Rinoa and Ashlin.   
  
They had reported to the Army Base, and were shown to their personal aircraft. The base was crowded; full of soldiers that hadn't already reported to Esthar. Large ships were set to the west, awaiting their General to board his ship and lead the fleet to the large city.   
  
When they first arrive, they were all fitted with a new kind of uniform, that of which the spies for the Galbadia Government wore, resembling a catsuit. They were all unsure what material it was made out of, but felt like pleather or something along the lines. Nida had to admit that he looked good in the black, tight suit. The sleeves ended just after his shoulders, as did all of the other men's. He had unzipped the front zipper a bit so his skin could breathe, just above his collarbone. He looked back at Rinoa, a smile creeping to his face. She looked...absolutely sexy. It was made from the same material; only her and Selphie's suit were cut off at the shoulders. The suit has glued it's self to her contours, all the way down to her knee-high boots.   
  
"C'mon! Let's go!" Selphie giggled, jumping up and down slightly, pulling Nida from his trance as she yelled in his ear.   
  
"Hold your chocobos! We have to wait for General Aring!" Seifer answered, slightly annoyed.   
  
"I'll go see what's keeping her!" Selphie said in a determined voice.   
  
"Selphie! Wait!" Rinoa cried, knowing what was taking Phoenix so long. But it was too late. Selphie had already bounded to the back of the ship.   
  
"OH MY HYNE!!!"   
  
~*~   
  
"Good luck on your mission, General Aring." Fury said, saluting her.   
  
"Thank you, General Caraway." She answered, her face stern as his while she mimicked the salute.   
  
"Sir! We have to go." Xu called from his airship   
  
"Just a moment!" He called back, turning back to Phoenix. "I guess this is goodbye, huh?"   
  
"Yes, General." She replied. "I'll see you in a few days." With that, she turned to walk toward her ship. Fury stared at her longingly, before clutching his teeth.   
  
"Screw it." He said, following her. He grabbed her wrist, clad in forearm armor. She looked back at him, wondering what the hell he was doing. She was pulled toward him suddenly, the two crushing their bodies together. He kissed her passionately, twirling and dipping his tongue into her mouth. She finally responded after a moment, kissing him back.   
  
"OH MY HYNE!!!" Selphie screamed. She covered her mouth when everyone turned their eyes to her, her eyes widening. It was almost as if the couple before they hadn't even heard her while they continued the kiss.   
  
"You better come back to me, Phoenix. Because when you come back, I'm going to ask you to marry me. I know you wouldn't want to miss your own proposal." He said, his lips brushing against hers.   
  
"I promise I'll come back. I love you." She answered, almost forgetting that they were in front of half the Galbadian fleet.   
  
"I love you, too." He whispered. "Now get going and kick some SeeD ass."   
  
"Same to you." She said, smiling profusely. The two pulled themselves from one another albeit reluctantly, and headed toward the respective ships.   
  
"Oh you act like you've never seen anyone kiss before." Phoenix said as she walked past Selphie and into the ship.   
  
~*~   
  
"Well..." Xu said, crossing her arms as Fury boarded their ship. "Looks like you have a lot of explaining to do."   
  
"We'll discuss it after the mission." He answered, taking a seat next to Xarsk, the General from Timber. The ship lurched forward, before receiving the go ahead from the air traffic controls. As soon as they did, the pilot took off smoothly, and there were soon soaring above the ocean.  
  
"Are you aware that you can be kicked off of the Council for this...this..." She growled, throwing her hands in the air out of frustration.   
  
"With all due respect, General Holfmeen, but shut it." Xarsk cut in, rolling his eyes.   
  
"Excuse me?" She roared.   
  
"Everyone knew about you and General Aring, Fury. No one except this hissy fit Brigadier General cares. I actually think it's charming..."   
  
"Are you feeling well, General Holfmeen? You look a little ill." Fury asked, changing the subject. In fact, she did look ill. Her skin was whiter than a sheet, and her rosy undertones were replaced with a deep shade of green.   
  
"No, I'm fine. I just haven't been eating well." She answered, rubbing her forehead.   
  
"Then perhaps you should grab something to eat when we arrive." Fury suggested.   
  
"Gee-golly. That sounds like a superb idea!" She said sarcastically, sitting down on the bench across from them.   
  
"Me-Ow." Xarsk answered, rolling his eyes.   
  
"How long until we reached Esthar?" Fury asked, ignoring the glares the other General was receiving.   
  
"Well, with these new engines, less than an hour." Xarsk answered, fiddling with his uniform.   
  
"Wonderful. We'll begin the attack as soon as we arrive. Send a message out to every commanding officer to prompt the troops." He ordered, standing up. He walked toward the cockpit of the ship, and sat in the co-pilot's seat. The pilot smiled, saluted him, and pulled a lever. The ship sped forward faster than before, flying by the clouds and birds. Fury laughed slightly, sitting back in the chair. He reached for the radio receiver, set it to a certain channel and brought it to his lips.   
  
"This is G-Fleet, come in Esthar." He said, straining to listen for a reply. All he heard in return was static. "I repeat: This is G-Fleet, come in Esthar."   
  
"G-Fleet? Oh thank Hyne! The soldiers have invaded! I repeat the soldiers have invaded! They have taken the President! Get here as soon a-..No! Hyne, no! STAY AWAY FROM ME! STAAAAAAAGGGGGGHGGHHhhh..." A voice trailed off, replacing with a thick gurgling sound.   
  
"Sir?" The pilot asked, looking over to Fury.   
  
"Step on it." He ordered, bracing himself.   
  
"Not quite." Xu cut in, walking in from the back, her face a sheen of sweat. Xarsk lied at her feet, his body crumpled in a twisted pile of bones, muscle and flesh. A growing puddle of blood began to slowly crawl over the gray tile.   
  
"What the hell, Xu?" Fury growled, standing up.   
  
"Sit down, General. My orders are to bring you back to the commander unharmed. But I will hurt you if I must. Now sit before I loose my temper and slit your throat like dear little Xarsk here."  
  
"Just who the hell do you think you are? And what makes you think I'm going to do what you tell me you, you fucking traitor!" He roared, reaching for his gun.   
  
"I said that I didn't want to hurt you! BREAK!" She cried out. Fury looked around, slightly alarmed as he became engulfed in stone. Soon he was petrified, and only wobbled with the ship while it maneuvered through the air.   
  
She took a step forward, leaning against the pilot-seat. She panted heavily, wiping her forehead with her sleeve. She then stepped over to the new General Caraway statue.  
  
"Kick ass job, Xu." The pilot said, removing his mask. A pair of green eyes and bright blonde hair looked up to her quickly, a toothy smile following.   
  
"Thank you very much, Zell." She replied, pushing Fury toward the back and sitting in the co-pilot's seat. "Now, floor this thing to Balamb Garden."   
  
~*~   
  
"General and General, sittin' in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Seifer teased Phoenix, causing her to quirk an eyebrow.   
  
"Oh shut up..." Rinoa said, her cheeks turning beat red.   
  
"Aww, what's the matter, Rin? Embarrassed that your old man's romance got out?" He teased again, turning his attention to the General's daughter. Phoenix smiled, taking it all in stride.  
  
"Shut up!" She hissed, wishing she had something to throw at him.   
  
"C'mon now, Seifer. Leave Rinoa alone. After all, it's General Aring we should be making fun of." Irvine gently grabbed his friend by the shoulders, directing him to said General.   
  
"If you're going to make fun of me, you might as well call me Phoenix." She stated, crossing her arms.   
  
"Alrighty, Phoenix!" Seifer laughed, moving next to her.   
  
"How'd you two get together?" Selphie asked from behind, smiling profusely. She was sitting on her seat with her knees, resting her elbows on the seat next to Phoenix  
  
"It's a long story, actually." Phoenix replied, suddenly becoming a bit shy in the face of all her attention.   
  
"You're embarrassing her! Would you leave her alone?" Rinoa cried out, batting her arm at Irvine, Seifer and Selphie.   
  
"I just wanna know how they got together! I'm sure it's some romantic story..." Selphie sighed; thinking up all the dreamy ways that they could have met one another.   
  
"Not really..." Phoenix answered. "When I tell it, it sounds more like Fury is a cradle robber."   
  
"My father is not a cradle robber!" Rinoa gasped.   
  
"Well, technically he is." Seifer nodded, agreeing with himself.   
  
"Yeah. He is old enough to be Phoenix's dad." Irvine put in, shrugging.   
  
"You two are horrible." Selphie mumbled. "C'mon! Tell me!"   
  
"Alright. I was working as a prostitute on the corner of 35th and 1st, when he approached me. He never paid me, so I've stuck around him ever since." Phoenix said with a deadpan face.   
  
"Are you serious?" Seifer all but yelled, his eyebrows raised.   
  
"Yup."   
  
"Oh! You are not!" Rinoa said, pouting.   
  
"I know. Can we drop it?" Phoenix asked.   
  
"Since you asked so nicely, yes." Irvine answered, smacking Seifer in the shoulder.   
  
"Alright." He sighed, turning around in his seat. Selphie stuck out her tongue, showing her protest for all to see.   
  
"Fine! But you better tell me when we get back from this mission!"   
  
Phoenix smiled at the girl, standing from her seat. She walked toward the front of the cockpit, standing between Nida and Ashlin.   
  
"How much longer?"   
  
"Not too long. Maybe about an hour and a half." Nida answered, never taking his eyes off of sky before him.   
  
"Alright." She turned, looking at the rest of her team. "Everyone listen up. After Nida lands the ship behind a near by the Fire Cavern, we'll sneak around to the side of Balamb Garden. We will enter by way of the Quad, a recreation area for the SeeDs. From there, we'll climb into the air ducts, and make are way to the Commander's Office on the third level. Irvine will remain in this duct with his rifle, waiting to assassinate the commander if any is to happen. As soon as we kill the Commander, we will also dispose of his top soldiers, crippling the Garden. As soon as I give the signal, Esthar will send reinforcements to defeat the remaining SeeDs. Do you all understand?"   
  
"Yes Ma'am." The team replied.   
  
"Very good." Phoenix said, grinning. 


	7. Chapter 7: Confrontations

I am so sorry for not updating lately. I've been having some incredibly large personal problems in my life which seemed to induce a horrible writer's block. My life is going to be terribly busy until Mid-August, but I will work on this fic whenever I can! Sorry this chapter isn't very good! But a huge thanks to those who are reviewing!  
  
I own not, you sue not.   
  
~*~  
  
Lieutenant Ryanso pulled his sword from his sheath, staring out at the once glorious city of Esthar. Dead bodies were sprawled across the glass walkways, the burning buildings resembling some sick kind of twisted fireworks display. The palace was smoking like a freshly lit cigar, and the stink of charred flesh filled the air. No one had been sparred, not even children. Their mangled bodies lined the walks, some near their parents others alone.   
  
Off in the distance, the soldiers of G-Fleet could see the SeeDs of Balamb fighting the last of the Estharian soldiers. They had been spotted, but Esthar was doing an amazing job of keeping the SeeDs away from the Galbadians while they called back for air support. However, now four fleets of G-16s were head toward the almost-destructed city.   
  
The Lieutenant looked toward the soldiers around him, seeing the look of anticipation in the eyes. They had been ordered by General Xu to stay away until General Caraway arrived in Esthar. Ryanso swallowed, hoping the General would show up soon. Until then, the Estharians would just have to hold up.   
  
Lieutenant Ryanso growled, turning to a few soldiers nearby. They were as restless as he was, some of them pacing back and forth.   
  
"If General Caraway doesn't arrive in a half hour, we're going in."   
  
"But Lieutenant…" One of them protested.   
  
"There's something going on that we don't know about. Even if I have to go alone, I'm doing this." He replied.   
  
~*~   
  
Fury Caraway spat the blood from his mouth, ignoring the bruises growing under his ribcage. The salty taste of it still swam between his teeth, causing the back of his throat to tingle with vomit. He felt as if his head was being crushed in a vice. One of his eyes was swollen shut, and a large bump was growing on his temple. He took a deep breath, looking up to his attacker. The boy was no older than his daughter, a Balamb style tattoo crawling up the side of his face and into his blonde hairline.   
  
"Want some more?"   
  
"Would it be considered rude if I turned you down?" Fury answered sarcastically. The boy sneered, grabbing the General by the back of his hair with his gloved hand. He dragged Fury to his feet, and slammed him against some kind of counter. He jerked his head up into a monitor.   
  
"You see that?" He snarled, shoving Fury's face closer to the screen. It took Fury's eyes a moment to adjust, and Phoenix came into focus. She was standing in a courtyard, looking out for her team while they attempted to remove the screen from an air vent. "You see that? If you don't tell us where the hell her pilot and that spy went, we'll kill her. You tell me where they are, I'll see what I can do."   
  
Fury felt the vomit rising in the back of his throat again, and it took him every bit of his will power to force it back down. He watched his lover, Nida and Ashlin nowhere to be seen. He had no clue where they were. Had Phoenix come up with another plan?  
  
She looked fantastic in the sneaking suit, and his eyes zoomed to her neckline. Small bumps were seen now and then, lining her suit. He had watched her insert her throwing knives in their small, custom holsters, as well as her twin sabers, Razamahs, at her side. As if right on cue, a few patrol SeeDs spotted her. Within milliseconds, her blades were out and she already decapitated one of them. Her body was like art in motion while she fought, graceful and deadly all mixed into one. He watched as she reached into the front of her suit, and pulled out a small, silver, handless knife and proceeded to bury it between another SeeD's eyes.   
  
He jerked his head toward the boy, so brown eyes were locked on green orbs.   
  
"Fuck you." He whispered. Phoenix could take care of herself. Now that he saw her fight up close and personal, he knew this.   
  
The boy snarled, slamming the General's head against the counter he was resting against.   
  
"Because of the little comment, I'm sure the commander and mistress will let some of the boys have fun with your pretty little sex-toy." He spat, letting the back of his head go. He turned, letting Fury slide off of the counter and onto the ground. His blood was boiling, but a deep grogginess was slowly pulling itself over him. "Take him to the dungeons. I have to go up to the main office. Do NOT kill him." He ordered to a few SeeDs in the doorway.   
  
~*~   
  
Phoenix breathed heavily, staring at the SeeD bodies that lay before her. Her face was dotted with blood, and she wiped a bit of her lip with the back of her hand. She cleaned off her blades with one of the SeeD's clothing, and ripped the few throwing daggers she used from their flesh. The first one she threw was too far into the SeeD's skull to pull out, and she didn't need it that desperately to go digging through someone's brain matter. Carefully she slipped them back into their holders in her neckline, and raked her fingers through her hair so it would cover their outlines. She turned back to look at her team. Seifer was the only one still working on getting the vent loose.   
  
"Whoa…that was cool!" Irvine said, smiling.   
  
"Awesome moves, Phoenix. You took those SeeDs down without even breaking a sweat!" Selphie giggled.   
  
"Thanks guys, but we have to move. The SeeDs are going to figure that something up when the patrol team doesn't return. We need to get into the air vent." She commanded, rubbing the back of her neck. "What do you need, Seifer?"   
  
"Just a sec, I almost got it. Irvine, get your ass over here and help me pull it out." He ordered. He was joined by the cowboy soon after, they successfully managed to pull the cover of the vent off. It fell to the floor with a resounding clang, causing the sound to echo through the empty Quad.   
  
"Great job guys. Don't forget to put the cover back on when we make our way up." Rinoa said, smiling. "Who goes first?"   
  
"I will. I've studied the vent system. Stay close to me, and be as quiet as you can." Phoenix ordered, climbing head first into the vent. Rinoa was close behind her, followed by Selphie. Seifer climbed in next, leaving Irvine to replace the vent cover.   
  
The vents were darker than the team had predicted, and they were soon making their way up a steady incline. There were small step-like objects attached to the stainless steel, and Phoenix had informed her team that the air ducts doubled as a fire escape, thus it would be big enough to fit through and strong enough to hold them.   
  
After what seemed like hours of climb, they finally arrived to the top. Phoenix peaked through the slots, looking for anyone that would spot her. She fiddled with the objects that attached the vent cover to the wall, and very gently placed it on the tile floor on the outside. She climbed out, followed by the rest of her team except for Irvine. She silently replaced the vent cover, giving a thumbs up to the sniper. He returned the gesture and patted his gun with a thermal scope.   
  
Phoenix made her way to the front of the team, looking to each of them. The third floor office was decorated in a way that seemed to be the exact opposite of what they heard of the SeeD commander. Long, silky, sheet-like material hung from the ceiling all the way down to the floor. An eerie, organ-sounding music flowed through the air, bouncing off the walls and finding it's home inside of the infiltration's team ears. It was peaceful. Soothing.   
  
Phoenix motioned for her team to follow her, and she started to cut through the silk material. It rolled off of her bloodstained skin, caressing the calloused flesh as she walked. For a moment, she was lost in the comfort of the room. She felt a longing to lay on a bed of feathers, wrapped in the silk. She snapped herself out of it when her fingers brushed the handles of her daggers. She shook her head slightly, pushing forward.   
  
She finally broke through the sea of supple material, her eyes landing on the sight before her. A body was in the center of the room, dressed in khakis and a button down shirt. On the other side of the room, a beautiful woman sat on the simple silver throne. On her head perched an extravagant headdress and her black dress' neckline plunged all the way to her naval. A golden, fan-like object was attached to her back. A sheet-like material fell from the bottom of it, resembling the silk hanging from the walls. Despite her elegant appearance, she had a sad yet motherly air around her. Her eyes were painted with deep colors, but her face was relaxed in a loving visage. She turned her face to Phoenix and her team, staring at her in the eyes. Her eyes danced with tears, as if she were begging Phoenix to turn and run, to go back from where she came. And she almost did. But she had a mission to complete.   
  
By her side, a boy slightly shorter than Phoenix stood. His unruly tendrils of hair covered most of his flawless pale face. A pair of burning azure eyes stood out against the dark shade of his mane. He was dressed in a fur-lined leather jacket and black pants, belts criss-crossing on his hips. A menacing looking gunblade resembling Seifer's was in a holster at his side.   
  
A nymph-like woman stood between the throne and the man on the ground, slightly colored orbs staring at the body from behind golden tresses. A small sliver ring was embedded in her lip, contrasting with the pale flesh surrounding it. She was about the same height at Phoenix, only much more petite. She was undoubtedly faster and agile, and her movements were most likely full of confidence. A dagger was in her hand, its twin in its holster on her thighs. Her body was clad in a shortened cheongsam, attaching itself to her body like red paint. It was embroidered with floral prints, and its authenticity was undeniable. Red boots leather boots encased her feet and ankles. She was breathtakingly beautiful, yet seemed to own an aura of danger around her.   
  
Three other people were lined up on the other side of the woman on the throne. One had a cocky smirk painted on his lips, the front of his fair hair standing on end. Next to him was a blonde woman, looking very much like the one standing near the body. Silver-framed glasses rested on the bridge of her nose, and a whip was rolled up as well as attached to her side. A very familiar face was on her other side, and it took a moment for Phoenix to realize who it was.   
  
"Holy shit! Is that General Holfmeen?" Seifer cursed. In fact it was. Phoenix stared at her, not trying to silence him. They were already spotted. They had walked right into a trap. Xu was a traitor and had planned it the entire time. She pulled herself from her daze, and stared at the body on the floor. It was President Loire.   
  
"IRVINE!" Phoenix called out, her eyes locking on the woman in the throne. A small, sad smile crossed her lips.   
  
"Irvine…he is already found." She murmured. Soon after, Irvine was thrown on the ground beside her. A gag was in his mouth, and three SeeDs emerged from the sheet walls. Phoenix's eyes widened, turning to her team.   
  
She was suddenly tackled from behind by another one of the SeeDs that had been prowling around. They flew a few feet, and Phoenix landed hard on her front. The SeeD on her back grabbed a handful of her hair, trying to pull her to her feet while he was attempting to stand. She grabbed onto his arm with both of her's, and rolled over so she was lying on top of him. Her back was to his chest, and before he could react she rolled off of him. Just as she was finishing out her roll, she pulled out one of her daggers and plunged it into his chest.   
  
The woman on the throne said nothing, but slowly brought her had out in front of her. When Phoenix went to pull her weapon from the SeeD's body, she realized she couldn't move.   
  
"Dispel." She said simply, trying to move again. However, she found she still could not move. "What the hell?"   
  
Rinoa stepped from the group, her shoulder brushing against Selphie whose arms were pinned against her back by a SeeD. She giggled as she walked by Phoenix, and went straight to the boy by the throne.   
  
"You FUCKING bitch!" Seifer yelled, trying to break free from the two SeeDs restraining him. "I knew from the beginning that you were nothing but a spoiled little shit! You fucking backstabber! You-"  
  
"Please don't use such language, my child. It makes you seem less intelligent. And I'm positive you're a very smart boy." The woman at the throne said.   
  
"But she is a traitor." Phoenix spoke up.  
  
"Really, Phoenix. Do you really think that I would let you into my life so easily? You're nothing but a whore. Nothing but a little gold-digging whore. Not that I mind you chose my father. I hate him as well. It's just more convenient that both of you would die for one another. I can use it to my advantage, thankfully. Neither of you cared for me. And you'll both pay." Rinoa said softly, looking over to her almost-stepmother.   
  
"You know that's not true, Rinoa. You know that both your father and I love you."   
  
"STOP TRYING TO TAKE MY MOTHER'S PLACE!" She screamed, breaking away from the man.   
  
"Would you shut your melodramatic whiney mouth?" The girl in the cheongsam growled, finally getting sick of her.   
  
"Don't interrupt me, Lisa!" Rinoa hissed back.   
  
"Bite me." She answered simply.   
  
"Ladies, do not quarrel in front of the guests of honor." The woman in the throne demanded. She slightly lifted her arm, the man on her side slipping his arm underneath it. Her black-clad hand rested on his knuckles as she stood. "You have arrived just in time. Do not worry about President Loire. We've been taking wonderful care of him. Haven't we, my dear?"   
  
"Yes. Very good care of him." Lisa answered, smiling. "It doesn't do us much good if our hostages are dead. He's just taking a small nap."   
  
"Not to say that you'll live as well." Rinoa put in, leaning against the woman's throne.   
  
"And not to say that you will die." The woman said, overriding Rinoa. "I'm sure you will find out dungeon very uncomfortable. For that I am sorry. SeeDs, please take them to their cells, along with President Loire." She raised her other hand and waved it slightly, taking the spell off of Phoenix.   
  
"Who are you?" Selphie asked, her eyes yet to return to their normal size.   
  
"How rude of me! I forgot entirely to introduce myself and my comrades. I am called Edea. This nice man to my left is my knight, Squall. Naturally, you already know Xu, and those next to her are Quistis and Zell." She paused, a slightly proud smile crossing her face. "And then there is Lisa, my daughter."  
  
----  
  
Well, that was slightly painful. _ I hope you all haven't gone blind from reading this. Once again I'm sorry for the crappy quality and how long it's taken me to get this up.  
  
On a side note, if you wish to see the cheongsan that Lisa was where, you can find it here: http://www.goodorient.com/goodorient/customer/product.php?productid=23932&cat=258&page=1 


End file.
